My Daily Pause

Gossip hurts a lot

Gossips can’t keep secrets,
so avoid people who talk too much. – Proverbs 20:19 NCV

This was Paul’s advice as well (Ephesians 4:29-31).

When we work to avoid being the source of chatter, gossip, idle talk, we avoid leading others astray.

The Sermon on the Mount – Carl Heinrich Bloch (1834–1890)

If they hate you, do them a good deed.

If they curse you, bless them.

If they abuse you, pray for them.

If they strike, turn the other cheek.

If they steal from you, give it and more to them.

Luke 6:27-36 may be the most difficult teachings from Jesus. I don’t know of anyone that truly exemplifies the principles in every way. Even Paul got upset when he was popped in the mouth for his beliefs! (Acts 23:1-3)

I can’t even say that I’ve heard a sermon that didn’t hedge these teachings a bit. They are taught by making them conditional to the situation or softened by saying they are not absolute commands.

It does seem to me that if we could master them, there would be very little sport in abusing Christians.

As Christians, we need to address this passage just like any other – so where do we start?

Let’s Flip this Around

We can think about it another way.

What if we just started treating others better? (And those we like don’t count! Luke 6:32-33) We need to treat those we don’t care for so much a little better – especially fellow Christians and people close to us that we are trying to influence to be Christians.

Since it is the most used weapon, the logical place to start is with our speech. Look at these:

• The tongue is a small member that can cause big trouble – James 3:5
• Corrupt speech is sinful – Ephesians 4:29-31
• Mind your own business – 1 Thessalonians 4:11, 2 Thessalonians 3:11-12
• Babbling is ungodly – 2 Timothy 2:16
• Lay aside the evil thoughts – 1 Peter 2:1

If we all made an effort to prevent the other person from having to turn the other cheek, we would be rewarded with the same benefit.

Does that principle sound familiar? (Luke 6:31)

We can go a long way toward helping others obey the “Love Your Enemies” verses (Luke 6:27-36) by controlling ourselves. I am convinced that this is why Jesus spoke the golden rule (Luke 6:31) right in the middle of teaching us how to react to our enemies.

The Gossips – 1948 – Norman Rockwell

In Matthew 12:33-34 Jesus taught us:

• that we will be known by our fruit
• and the mouth bears the fruit of the heart.

Gossip is a particularly aggressive sin against the commandment to love thy neighbor. We can go out of our way to gossip, or we can do it without giving it a second thought.

How ever we do it, the result is never good.

Scripture leaves little doubt as to how God feels about gossip. Here are five things the New Testament has to say about the aspects gossip:

1. The tongue is a small member that can cause big trouble – James 3:5
2. Corrupt speech is sinful Ephesians 4:29-31
3. Mind your own business 1 Thessalonians 4:11, 2 Thessalonians 3:11-12
4. Babbling is ungodly 2 Timothy 2:16
5. Lay aside the evil thoughts 1 Peter 2:1